Decision day: 7 principles I use to choose a candidate.

How are you deciding whom to vote for today? Personality, or principle? I realize that we live in an imperfect world, and in a democracy we have to choose between imperfect alternatives. That said, here are the 7 principles I use to choose whom I will vote for a candidate for national office (President, House and Senate):

1. LIFE: Does this candidate believe in the sanctity of innocent human life — from conception to natural death — and is this candidate truly committed to protecting life?

2. MARRIAGE: Does this candidate believe in traditional, Biblical marriage — that marriage is a sacred union between one man and one woman — and is this candidate truly committed to protecting marriage?

3. NATIONAL DEFENSE: Does this candidate believe that one of the most important missions of government is to protect the American people from all threats — foreign and domestic — and is this candidate truly committed to creating and sustaining a modern military and intelligence system capable of defending the American people, our sovereignty, our homeland, our borders, our coastlines, our airspace, our technology and our financial infrastructure? What’s more, does the candidate see the serious threats forming against the U.S. and our allies and have the wisdom and courage to deal with those threats decisively?

4. FISCAL SANITY: Does this candidate believe that a $16 trillion in national debt — and $1 trillion+ annual deficits — are immoral and unsustainable and threatens us with implosion, and is this candidate truly committed to ending the runaway over-spending, getting us to a balanced budget, and getting us on the road to being out of debt before it’s too late?

5. GROWTH: Does this candidate understand that we need to get our economy growing again at 4% or more per year and that only through pro-growth policies — not massive tax increases, debt, over-spending and over-regulation — will we be able to create enough good jobs for our citizens and be able to care for the elderly and needy and be able to pay for the national defense we need?

6. ISRAEL: Does this candidate understand the Biblical principle found in Genesis 12:1-3 that God promises to bless those that bless Israel, and to curse those who curse Israel? Does this candidate, therefore, understand the importance of maintaining a strong, healthy friendship and strategic alliance with the State of Israel, even while being a friend to the Palestinian people and being a force for freedom and democracy in the Middle East?

7. HONESTY & MORAL INTEGRITY — Does this candidate have the moral and ethical character to be trusted in good times as well as in times of crisis?

The Hebrew prophet Daniel once wrote, “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His….He removes kings and raises up kings.” (Daniel 2:20-21) In the end, we can and should trust in God’s sovereignty. He ultimately decides who will lead a country, and who will be removed from leadership. Sometimes He allows evil leaders to rise up to allow pain and suffering and help the people turn their hearts to the Lord and depend on Him, rather on wordly leaders. Other times, the Lord allows godly leaders to emerge to allow people to live in times of quiet and peace or to deal with trouble in a Biblical way. God has His reasons, and we must pray that His will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Fortunately, we live in a time of history when we are allowed to vote for our national leaders. May God bless you, therefore, as you pray about your decisions and then vote today. We are not slaves of an empire. By God’s grace, we are free people and citizens of the greatest democratic republic in the history of mankind. Very few people in history have had a say in who got elected in their countries and what values and policies those leaders would defend and advance, but we have that very privilege. How dare we ignore and squander it? We should take this right seriously. As Jesus said, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be required” (Luke 12:48).